After a period of relative silence following her 2016 divorce from Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie has returned to the public eye with a powerful performance and a renewed spirit. Her presence at the Venice Film Festival, where she graced the red carpet in a stunning nude gown and a newly-blonde hairstyle, sent the internet abuzz with admiration. Her portrayal of legendary opera singer Maria Callas in the film ‘Maria’ garnered an eight-minute standing ovation and drew tears from the audience. Variety magazine hailed the performance, stating that it “reminds you that she is a deathly serious actress who possesses both delicacy and power.”
Jolie’s decision to take on the role of Maria Callas, whose fame ultimately became her prison, seems to resonate deeply with the actress’ own experiences. For years, Jolie has been hounded by paparazzi and tabloids, navigating the intense scrutiny of her personal life. “This film will shift the focus from my personal life to my talent,” she remarked.
The film’s themes of resilience and triumph over adversity reflect Jolie’s own journey. As a young woman, Jolie struggled with depression and self-harm, coping with the trauma of her parents’ divorce and bullying she endured during her teenage years. Her tumultuous romantic history, marked by her marriages to Johnny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton, ultimately led her to a seemingly stable relationship with Brad Pitt, whom she met in 2005.
The couple, affectionately known as ‘Brangelina’, became a Hollywood power couple, traveling the world with their six children: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne. However, beneath the veneer of happiness, cracks began to appear. In 2007, Jolie’s mother passed away from cancer. Following her mother’s death, Jolie underwent a preventative double mastectomy and oophorectomy after testing positive for the BRCA1 gene mutation, a decision that she shared publicly, encouraging other women to consider genetic testing. The couple eventually married in 2014, only to separate two years later.
The bitter divorce proceedings, still ongoing, have been a deeply personal and public ordeal. Rumors of Pitt’s alcohol abuse and his alleged outburst towards Maddox on a private jet, leading to a physical altercation, ultimately led to the couple’s split. While Brad Pitt has moved on romantically, Jolie remains single, a testament to the profound impact the divorce has had on her.
Despite the tumultuous events, Jolie has proven her resilience, channeling her energy into her passions. She opened her own couture fashion house, Atelier Jolie, and her Broadway production of ‘The Outsiders’ won four Tony Awards in 2023. Her return to acting with ‘Maria’ signifies a fresh start and a bold new chapter in her career.
In a recent interview with Indie Wire, Jolie revealed her thoughts on aging, saying, “I am 49, and I feel like I am getting older now, and I am embracing that. It feels good. I don’t know why it feels good. I don’t know if it’s because my mom died young at 56, and so maybe it’s a joy to get older, that I got to survive. I’m looking forward to being in my 50s. I feel like I’m going to navigate my 50s well.”
The confident and liberated demeanor Jolie displayed at the Venice Film Festival reflects this newfound sense of self. She has weathered personal storms, emerged stronger, and continues to inspire with her unwavering spirit and dedication to her craft. Jolie’s story is a testament to the power of resilience, reminding us that even amidst life’s challenges, we can rise above adversity and embrace a brighter future.
